used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
brackennounUS /ˈbrækən/
fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
causingnounUS /ˈkɑːzɪŋ/
the act of causing something to happen
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
cloudyadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdi/
lacking definite form or limits
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
creakedverbUS /kriːkt/
past form of “creak” — make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
deerstalkernoun
a tight-fitting hat with visors front and back; formerly worn by hunters
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
dismallyadverbUS /ˈdɪzməli/
in a cheerless manner
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
Engleheart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
FATEFULadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtfəl/
having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
Flimwell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
Geoffrey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
gnarledadjectiveUS /nɑːrld/
used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
groanedverbUS /ɡroʊnd/
past form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
gustyadjectiveUS /ˈɡʌsti/
blowing in puffs or short intermittent blasts
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
not accessible to view
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
howledverbUS /haʊld/
past form of “howl” — emit long loud cries
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
improvisedadjectiveUS /ˈɪmprəvaɪzd/
done or made using whatever is available
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
kitnounUS /kɪt/
a case for containing a set of articles
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
magazinenounUS /ˈmæɡəziːn/
a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
moonlessadjective
without a moon or a visible moon
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
outpostnounUS /ˈaʊtpoʊst/
a station in a remote or sparsely populated location
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
strappedverbUS /stræpt/
inflected form of “strap” — tie with a strap
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
surgeverbUS /sɜːrdʒ/
rise and move, as in waves or billows
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
possessing sweep
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Leaning with his back against the gnarled trunk of a giant oak on the edge of the forest, his ears alert for the slightest sound, his hand upon his loaded magazine rifle, Geoffrey Engleheart stood on outpost duty.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dressed in a rough shooting suit, with a deerstalker hat and an improvised kit strapped upon his back, he was half hidden by the tall bracken.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A cloudy moonless night, with a gusty wind which now and then swept the tops of the forest trees, causing the leaves to surge like a summer sea.
WitheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading Withered branches creaked and groaned, and a dog howled dismally down in Flimwell village, half a mile away.
